Method and apparatus for bending a tubular member

Claim 1

A method of bending a tubular member into a zig-zag configuration comprising the steps of flattening three sections of the tubular member at two outside locations and one central location with two outside flattening and gripping means and one central flattening and gripping means, respectively, thereby forming two outside flattened sections, said central means being movable in a perpendicular direction to a line through the two outside flattened sections and each said outside means being freely movable in the direction of said line; maintaining a pressure grip on each of the flattened sections with said outside means and said central means; moving said central means perpendicular to said line for a predetermined distance; simultaneously with the moving of the central means, allowing said outside means to be pulled towards each other along said line by said tubular member and controllably assisting the moving of said outside means, and hence the movement of said outside flattened sections, with fluid actuated means by controlling the flow of fluid to said fluid actuated means such that said assistance alone is unable to move the two outside flattened sections, thus forming a v-shaped configuration in the tubular member; releasing the pressure grip from the flattened sections; moving the tubular member to a new location wherein one of the outside flattened sections just formed is positioned in the place of the other outside section just formed and repeating the above steps.

Claim 2

A method of bending a tubular member into a zig-zag configuration comprising the steps of flattening three sections of the tubular member at two outside locations and one central location with two outside flattening and gripping means and one central flattening and gripping means, respectively, thereby forming two outside flattened sections, said central means being movable in a perpendicular direction to a line through the two outside flattened sections and each said outside means being freely movable in the direction of said line; maintaining a pressure grip on each of the flattened sections with said outside means and said central means; moving said central means perpendicular to said line for a predetermined distance; simultaneously with the moving of the central means, allowing said outside means to be pulled towards each other along said line by said tubular member and controllably assisting the moving of said outside means, and hence the movement of said outside flattened sections, with fluid actuated means by controlling the flow of fluid to said fluid actuated means such that said assistance alone is unable to move the two outside flattened sections, thus forming a v-shaped configuration in the tubular member; releasing the pressure grip from the flattened sections; moving the tubular member to a new location wherein one of the outside flattened sections just formed is positioned in the place of the other outside section just formed and repeating the above steps.

Claim 4

An apparatus for forming a substantially straight tubular member into a zig-zag configuration comprising: a central guide member; two outer guide members located in the same plane in line with each other, said central guide member being disposed between said two outer guide members in the same plane therewith and perpendicular thereto; a movable central carriage and two movable outer carriages respectively mounted for independent movement on said central guide member and said two outer guide members; a central flattening means mounted on said central carriage for flattening and gripping a section of the tubular member; two outer flattening means mounted on said two outer carriages, respectively, for flattening and gripping repective sections of the tubular member; and fluid operated power means for moving said central carriage and said central flattening means a predetermined distance along said central guide member, whereby upon the movement of said central carriage said outer carriages and the corresponding said outer flattening means when in a gripping relationship with the tubular members are pulled towards said central guide member by the tubular member; and fluid operated return means connected to said outer carriages for returning said outer carriages to a starting position after operation, said outer carriages moving independently of each other and of said central carriage.

Claim 5

An apparatus for forming a substantially straight tubular member into a zig-zag configuration comprising: a central guide member; two outer guide members located in the same plane in line with each other, said central guide member being disposed between said two outer guide members in the same plane therewith and perpendicular thereto; a movable central carriage and two movable outer carriages respectively mounted for independent movement on said central guide member and said two outer guide members; a central flattening means mounted on said central carriage for flattening and gripping a section of the tubular member; two outer flattening means mounted on said two outer carriages, respectively, for flattening and gripping repective sections of the tubular member; and fluid operated power means for moving said central carriage and said central flattening means a predetermined distance along said central guide member, whereby upon the movement of said central carriage said outer carriages and the corresponding said outer flattening means when in a gripping relationship with the tubular members are pulled towards said central guide member by the tubular member; and fluid operated return means connected to said outer carriages for returning said outer carriages to a starting position after operation, said outer carriages moving independently of each other and of said central carriage.